Alabama

Dees keys Jags' rally in 10-5 win over Warhawks

South Alabama outfielder Taylor White charges a fly ball hit by Louisiana-Monroe's Jason Hicks during the first inning of the Jags' 10-5 win on Saturday. (Chip English, Correspondent)

Kyle Dees pitched three scoreless innings in relief and South Alabama rallied from an early three-run deficit to beat Louisiana-Monroe 10-5 Saturday night at Stanky Field.

The Jaguars (12-10, 2-3 Sun Belt Conference) can move to .500 in league play if they win today's 1 p.m. series finale.

"When they put up three runs with two outs in the first inning I was a little worried," said USA coach Steve Kittrell, "especially after (Friday night's) game. But our men responded like men and played hard.

"We played harder tonight than I've seen us play since the Alabama game, and we've got to show up with that kind of intensity. We matched their intensity and that's the way it needs to be all the time."

Eight runs were scored in a wild first inning that included ULM left-hander Randy Zeigler (2-2) being ejected by home-plate umpire Greg Oros for complaining too vociferously about a call.

The Warhawks picked up three runs off Dustin Crenshaw with four consecutive hits after Crenshaw had fanned the first two batters.

The Jaguars answered with five runs in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of three hits and three errors. Brent Tanner had an RBI single and Brad Hook a two-out, two-run single off reliever Shelby Aulds.

USA made it 6-3 in the second when Logan Kirkland scored on Nolan Earley's groundout.

Louisiana-Monroe (14-8, 3-2), which overcame a 3-2 deficit Friday with six late runs, didn't quit, closing to 6-4 on Joey Rapp's solo home run to left off Crenshaw in the third inning and 6-5 when Les Aulds went deep to right off Crenshaw in the fourth.

The Jaguars responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back, two-out doubles by Earley and Tanner. Taylor White's solo homer in the sixth made it 8-5.

USA's final two runs came on Kirkland's RBI single in the seventh and Jordan Patterson's solo home run to center in the eighth.

"I was glad to see us get the insurance runs," said Kittrell. "The way the wind was blowing out, we needed to keep scoring. I was real pleased with the way the offense responded tonight."

Crenshaw (4-0) went six innings, giving up 10 hits and striking out a career-high eight. He has now worked 44Ð innings without a walk.

"Dustin did a good job," said Kittrell. "He threw so many pitches early. Dees came in and did a great job getting ground balls. He's real effective when he does that."

USA is expected to send left-hander Hook (0-2) to the mound today, and the Warhawks will go with right-hander Wil Browning (2-1).